Chronic high blood pressure is also known as hypertension and is at times a fatal condition. When your blood pressure is too high due to a medical concern, high levels of stress, or other reasons, you may be prescribed a medication that can help. However, these medications don’t always work for everyone and may not work as quickly as you’d like. There are a few relatively easy steps you can take to quickly reduce your blood pressure naturally.
Breath deeply. Because high blood pressure might be worsened by stress, by taking a moment to stop what you are doing and focus on taking long, slow and controlled breaths, you can reduce your stress level and subsequently make your blood pressure lower. Close you eyes and think about each inhale and exhale as you count slowly to 10.
Drink a cup of water. If you are dehydrated, your blood pressure will be on the rise. In fact, being dehydrated on a continuous basis can actually cause high blood pressure. By the time you actually have the sensation of thirst, your body is already in a mild state of dehydration. o lower blood pressure, drink a cup of water. To keep your blood pressure down, be sure to drink water regularly to ensure that you are properly hydrated.
Get moving. Any form of exercise will naturally lower blood pressure. Even something as simple as taking a brisk walk can work wonders for naturally lowering your blood pressure. So too will a jog, riding a bike or any other form or physical exertion. Because a common cause of high blood pressure is having too much body weight, regular exercise can help improve your blood pressure condition as well as help you lose extra weight.
Get enough potassium. Another vitamin that is proven to lower blood pressure is potassium. This nutrient will work to keep your electrolytes in the proper order so that your heart will function at its best. If you are low on potassium, your blood pressure will rise. There are vitamin supplements you can take to get the recommended amount, but it is better to get the potassium from foods such as bananas, beets, salmon, raisins, carrots and orange juice.
Take a bite of chocolate. Dark chocolate allows the blood vessels in your body to open more fully, causing your blood pressure to drop. It is the antioxidants that are found in dark chocolate that cause this effect. Make sure the chocolate consists of at least 70 percent cocoa. You only need to eat a tiny amount to reap the rewards, and the indulgence will help your heart.